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Whom The Lord Loveth

Chasten: Discipline 

Hebrew 12:5-6

5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Why do parent’s discipline their children? Is it to make them miserable? As a kid it may seem that way. Though, as we grow older many of us can look back and be thankful for the discipline shown to us by our parents, as it taught us important lessons and helped us grown and better ourselves. The same concept goes for our Father in Heaven. 

What would be the purpose of us to come to this mortal life and everything to be perfectly smooth? We would gain nothing from this life. That was the plan of the adversary.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson tells us

“Though it is often difficult to endure, truly we ought to rejoice that God considers us worth the time and trouble to correct.

Divine chastening has at least three purposes: (1) to persuade us to repent, (2) to refine and sanctify us, and (3) at times to redirect our course in life to what God knows is a better path.”

I have experienced in my own life and others recently the overwhelming expression of “woe is me” and “why is God punishing me?”. God is not punishing you. He hates to see you suffer, but what he is giving you to go through now, will save you from immense heart ache down the line. He is helping you, strengthening you, and perhaps a little harshly pushing you back on the right path. 

God’s chastisement is a blessing, meant for our benefit and improvement. Instead of complaining, perhaps thanks Him, and ask that you learn what He is trying to teach you.

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Joseph Smith Jr.

This past week in my D&C class we studied section 135, which was written by John Taylor after the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. This has and will always be one of my favorite sections of scriptures, ever. As most latter-day saints, I have such a profound love for Joseph Smith. Every time I revisit this section, I am reminded by this love and overcome by the spirit. In verse 3 we are told “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it.”. This will forever be one of the most powerful statements in scripture I believe. In class we discussed all of the doctrine and aspects of the gospel that came about because of Joseph Smith, and if it wasn’t for him we wouldn’t have them. I feel like often times as members who grew up in the church, we take Joseph Smith for granted. He is a normal part of what we know, but without him, our lives would be insanely different. If it was not for Joseph Smith, we would have no temples, baptism, the knowledge of the plan of salvation, or just the church in general. He is such a pivotal piece of our testimonies. As President Monson stated this past Conference, in reference to the Book of Mormon “If it is true—and I solemnly testify that it is—then Joseph Smith was a prophet who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.Because the Book of Mormon is true, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church on the earth, and the holy priesthood of God has been restored for the benefit and blessing of His children.”

I love and admire Joseph Smith for all he did for us and me. For his sacrifice, truly devoting his life, and giving it, for the restoration of this gospel and for giving us the knowledge and power to take advantage of the atonement, for our salvation. 

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Modern Scripture

This weekend we had the opportunity to hear the prophet and apostles of the Lord speak to us and give us guidance inspired for those are currently living on this earth specifically at this time. I figured I would take this advantage to write about that experience, since the words of the prophets are modern scripture are they not?

I was blessed to be able to attend the Sunday morning session of General Conference, which ended up being the session I felt really spoke to me. Two talks specifically really left an impact on me. First off were the words we heard from our dead prophet, Thomas S. Monson. It saddens me to see him becoming more frail in his age and that he can no longer speak as long as usual, but his remarks were critical. Although he was not able to speak long, he felt impressed with his time he did have to speak to us, that he needed to implore to us the deep importance of reading the Book of Mormon daily. He said “ My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives.” I had a friend reinforce this importance recently, that by reading the Book of Mormon everyday, even just once verse, we will be empowered with strength, the spirit, and the ability to overcome temptation. Why is this? To build off those ideas Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Seventy, gave a talk on the small and simple things. Within the church many people struggle with a range of different trials, Elder Clayton insured us that no matter what we were facing that getting back to the basics and doing the simple commandments are what we need most to get us where we want to be. I loved his use of the story of King Naaman who was inflicted with leprosy and the Savior told him to wash in the River Jordan seven times and he would be healed. Naaman struggled with this because it was so simple, so many of us are they same way. We do not have to understand the ways of the Lord perfectly or at all, however we must simple continue to do what he has commanded. 

These messages were what I truly needed to hear. As I have been wrestling with my own personal struggles, I have forgotten to keep to the small and simple things, reading my scriptures daily and praying to my Father in Heaven. We tend to take these little bits for granted, forgetting their magnitude, especially over a consistent period of time. I like to look at it like hair growing. Your hair grows less than an inch a month, and even more insignificantly in a day. However, if we added up how many inches of hair we have grown our entire lives, it would be a crazy amount! Generally we don’t realize how much it has grown until its all of a sudden really long, or we look back in photos and see how short it used to be. This same idea is easily applied to our daily devotions to the Lord. Sitting and reading the scriptures every day and praying daily really doesn’t seem like a big deal, until a time has passed and we can look back and think “hmmm, I am a lot better now than I used to be”. 

I am so thankful for the opportunity to hear guidance from the Lord’s servants. It is an amazing blessing. 

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Patience & Long Suffering

“You are to develop patience and long suffering with others and yourself.”

Patience is a quality we often attribute to the Savior. A quality I think we can particularly see a struggle with among this generation. We live in a time of right here right now. We can attain information at the tips of our figure tips. Order food to our doors. Simply make a request on our telephone and have a car to take us where we need to go almost immediately. Long term progress and growth is something I truly struggle with. I like to see effects right away once I start. 

The things the Lord has in store for us take time. We cannot expect to overcome our weaknesses in a day.  This is something I have come to get really frustrated about in myself. I easily get angry with myself how come even though I am trying, after a week I am not magically and suddenly better. 

Alma 7:23

 And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. 

The scriptural definition of patience is “calm endurance”. This is something that has really stuck out to me. I have never thought about patience actually in terms of endurance. This is a new way for me to think about patience and long suffering. In this verse from Alma, we are taught how to endure trials. With the light of patience being a form of endurance we can apply to qualities of humility, submissiveness, being gentle, and easy to entreat to ways to have more patience. These are important when it comes to having patience with ourselves. Having patience with ourselves is often the hardest form of patience, but keeping these qualities in mind we can more easily have that self patience.  

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Clean, but Imperfect.

Who is perfect?

The only person to have lived on this earth who was perfect was Christ. We as mortal do not have the ability to be perfected in this earthly life. 

In order to enter the temples of the Lord we must be a worthy temple recommend holder. But what deems one worthy?

My whole life I have figured that someone who is truly worthy to enter the temple was the ideal “perfect” member of the church. Sadly, I just figured a lot of people who were not “perfect” were just lying so they could attend, and in this means, knowing I was not perfect, I often felt like I was lying so I could attend the temple. But I loved going, I loved how I felt when I was there, and I loved what we did within the walls. 

I have come to learn recently in my life that this is far from the truth. 

D&C 109: 20-21

20 And that no unclean thing shall be permitted to come into thy house to pollute it;

21 And when thy people transgress, any of them, they may speedily repent and return unto thee, and find favor in thy sight, and be restored to the blessings which thou hast ordained to be poured out upon those who shall reverence thee in thy house.

The trick is, clean, but not perfect. Every person has their weaknesses, that is a necessary part of this mortal existence. The important thing is that we are repenting.

“Who is righteous? Anyone who is repenting. No matter how bad he has been, if he is repenting he is a righteous man. There is hope for him. And no matter how good he has been all his life, if he is not repenting, he is a wicked man. The difference is which way you are facing. The man on the top of the stairs facing down if much worse off than the man on the bottom step who is facing up. The direction we are facing, that is repentance; and that is what determines whether we are good or bad.” Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, pg. 301-302

As long as we are repenting and consistently trying to be better, we are clean, and worthy to attend the temple.

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God’s Plan For Me

“I’m learning that God is much less a divine dictator who demands perfect compliance to a predetermined plan for our individual lives and much more a co-creator with us of the kind of lives we want to live. I’m learning that His plan for me is a lot less like a laser-crossed minefield and a lot more of a journey of coming to know myself and coming to know Him.”

As a college student, there are many frequent break downs beating myself up over how I am not working as hard as I should be. I can be doing so much better. How can I expect God to bless me when I am not even working up to my full potential?

On one of these nights/early mornings (all nighters am I right?), I was texting my mom expressing my stress and worry. She told me to not worry, because worrying was showing a lack in faith in God’s plan for me. I replied and told her that worrying was justified when I am not following his plan for me. She asked what I meant and I told her those exact things. I am not working as hard as I should, but I don’t feel like I am capable of working as hard as I should be. 

Later that day as I was scrolling through the endless stream of social media, an article  on LDS.org came up, titled “You’re Not Messing Up God’s Plan For You”. Obviously it caught my eye because of my earlier conversation. This was exactly what I needed to hear. It was personal scripture for me, which I know was placed there through the Lord, perhaps the person who shared it just felt like someone else needed to see it.  The specific portion that stood out was this:

What God’s plan isn’t: My expectations of how my life “should” be

I have a lot of “should” voices in my head. They say things like, “I should be married. I should be better at this dating thing by now. I should know what I want to be when I grow up. I should have a 5-year plan and a 401k and a perfect, step-by-step plan of how to get to my dream career—starting yesterday. Because I don’t, I’m a failure.”

God’s voice, unsurprisingly, does not agree.

This is what I was so caught up in. There is so much I feel like I should be doing. Getting good grades. Working on my art. Applying for internships. Working hard in my callings in church. Studying my scriptures for an hour everyday. Say my prayers every morning and night, and don’t forget meals either. Applying to the next level of my program. Should I do a major? Excel in everything I do. Have a good job that I love and can help people and also make decent money. Speaking of money, don’t spend too much and make sure to save to buy a car and pay for a wedding one day. And speaking of weddings, keep up that dating life. Entertain friends. Keep in touch with family. Exercise and eat healthy. Go to the temple weekly. Meet with my counselor. Make memories. Have fun. And don’t forget to relax. Also some how fit showering in there too. 

If I am not doing all of this, I must be a failure. If I am not putting 100% into all of these things, I am disappointing my Father in Heaven and taking for granted this life he has given us.

What God’s plan is: A journey of joyful discovery that begins where I am

Through multiple impressions, God keeps telling me that this time in my life is a period of joyful discovery—emphasis on the joyful. An impression I received recently as I was stressing over finding the “perfect career” was this: “Ariel, I don’t care what you do to pay the bills. Have fun! Explore. Do what you want to do. Just keep writing, and we will do great things together.”

Well, all right then.

I question answers like that, wondering if this is some sort of test to see if I’ll choose right and win His approval or choose wrong and disappoint Him. I stress out and hesitate to act because I’m worried about doing the “wrong” thing. What an answer like that really means is to move forward with confidence that as I act in accordance with my righteous desires, counseling with God along the way, I’m following His plan for me. God understands where I am. He is patient with my progress, and every sincere effort counts to Him. If He is okay with my learning process, I can be too.

This was the response given. Heavenly Father wants us to be truly happy. If all of these things are causing me too much stress and bringing no joy, he would rather us find a way to be more happy. “Men are that they might have joy”. The reason for this life is for lasting happiness. Especially when the things in our life that we feel like we SHOULD be doing are not completely necessary or do not all need to be mastered and completed at this exact point in our life. The Lord does not give us more than we can handle. 

As long as we are trying, and some times we aren’t capable to trying as much as we would like too, then he is satisfied with us. As long as we are continuing forward and improving. We are not meant to gain perfection in this life and He understands that. Does not expect that of us right now. This is not an excuse to slack off, just to allow ourselves to break and breathe. He will be there with us as we are climbing the mountain, slipping on rocks, falling in puddles, and pushing as hard has we can. But He is also there as we sit and take a break. Whether that be a nights sleep or a simple breather. He is always there, always supporting, and as long as we try, always proud. 

https://www.lds.org/blog/youre-not-messing-up-gods-plan-for-you?__prclt=lrJflzFA

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There Was No Room.

As Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to pay their taxes, they sought a place to stay for the night. As we know they were turned down by the inn keepers, stating that “there was no room”.

Some information as been brought to my mind that changes this story in a whole new way. First off, Mary and Joseph were in their home town, they were bound to have to family in the area they could stay with right? So interestingly, the original Greek meaning for the word “inn” is not what we typically think as a hotel, but a guest room in someone’s house. This means Mary and Joseph did in fact reach out to family while in Bethlehem, and their families were the ones to reject them. When Mary became pregnant with Christ, it was prior to the marriage of her and Joseph, so her pregnancy was seen as disgraceful, especially because the child was not Joseph’s. This caused their families, for the most part, to turn their backs on them. I feel like this adds a whole other level of hurt to the fact that no one was willing to find space for the pregnant couple to stay the night. What it came down to was not that they could not find space for them to stay, but that they were unwilling to allow them to use that space.

I’d like to take this to a more personal level. When we do not allow Christ into our life, we are not just rejected some person, or even just an all powerful being, it is much more intimate than that. We are rejecting the outreached hand of a loving brother, who so deeply wants to be there for us. To help us. To save us. He wants us to let him love us. While his love is ever present, if we do not accept him into our lives, we cannot feel that love. That love that is so essential to our everyday experiences. Just as his earthly family members rejected his parents and him, they missed one of the most miraculous and amazing moments that has ever occurred in the history of time. Due to the pride they harbored, they missed the birth of their savior. That despite them turning him away, he still loves. Even though we constantly as children of men, are turning him away, often through pride, he still is there. He never leaves, we just no longer allow ourselves to feel his presence. As was once said about Batman, but even more applicable to Christ “He’s a silent guardian. A watchful protector”.

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“Because I live, ye shall live also.”

As a Christian denomination, LDS members believe in the Atonement of Jesus Christ as a saving act, that allows us to be saved and resurrected. We believe that Christ suffered individual for every single persons personal sin and felts every pain we would ever feel. From guilt, to physical pain, to emotional suffering.  Every negative feeling, he felt so that he could be our support and know exactly what we are going through. 

We hear often that he died so that we may live. In John 14:19 it is stated “Because I live, ye shall live also.”

We always interpret this that because he performed the Atonement, died, and rose on the 3rd day, that we too can live again through resurrection. It was brought to my attention that there is another possible interpretation. Grace is the word we associate with the enabling power of Christ’s Atonement. It helps us overcome things we never thought we could. Throughout my life I have always focused on the repentance aspect of the Atonement and Grace. That when I sinned that I could overcome and be forgiven through them. However, the Atonement is also there to heal us. In anyway we may need. If we can have the faith and truly take the Lord by the hand, he will take away our sorrows and suffering. When we can do no more, we can turn to him to him and he will take it from us so that we can do what we need to do. 

Because he lived, through our faith in him, he can take away our mortal sorrows, so that we can live a more happy and fulfilling live. When we can do no more, give it to him and he will lift our yolks so that we can walk more freely. 

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The Emotional Range of God in Relation to the Toil of Earthly Parents.

Dear Mother,

I have learned somethings this week that I want to share with you.

I was deeply impacted in my reading of the book of Moses. Specifically in chapter 7, verses 28-33 & 37.

28 And it came to pass that the God of heaven looked upon the residue of the people, and he wept; and Enoch bore record of it, saying: How is it that the heavens weep, and shed forth their tears as the rain upon the mountains?

29 And Enoch said unto the Lord: How is it that thou canst weep, seeing thou art holy, and from all eternity to all eternity?

30 And were it possible that man could number the particles of the earth, yea, millions of earths like this, it would not be a beginning to the number of thy creations; and thy curtains are stretched out still; and yet thou art there, and thy bosom is there; and also thou art just; thou art merciful and kind forever;

31 And thou hast taken Zion to thine own bosom, from all thy creations, from all eternity to all eternity; and naught but peace, justice, and truth is the habitation of thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is it thou canst weep?

32 The Lord said unto Enoch: Behold these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands, and I gave unto them their knowledge, in the day I created them; and in the Garden of Eden, gave I unto man his agency;

33 And unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are without affection, and they hate their own blood;

 37 But behold, their sins shall be upon the heads of their fathers; Satan shall be their father, and misery shall be their doom; and the whole heavens shall weep over them, even all the workmanship of mine hands; wherefore should not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer? 

 As I read these verse so many things stuck out to me. I felt the spirit strike me, and I felt inspiration as to how this is so meaningful. So personal. And so applicable. As Heavenly Father shows Enoch the destruction that will happen to mankind, “he beheld Satan; and he had a great chain in his hand, and it veiled the whole face of the earth with darkness; and he looked up and laughed, and his angels rejoiced” (verse 26) and He wept. Enoch proceeds to ask how a being as immaculate as God the father can mourn? That he has so many creations, why cry? God replies bluntly. He created us, we are of His workmanship. He gave us knowledge, and also agency, and simply asked for us to follow Him, our Father. Then He looks and sees us using our agency to be hateful and sinful. He watches and knows Mankind are bringing about their own doom, choosing Satan as their father rather than Him. He loves us more than we have a full capacity of knowing, and although he is the most powerful being in existence, he cannot intervene in our ability to use out agency. So how could he not weep? How could He not mourn the loss of His children as he watches them destroying themselves, but being able to do very little more than he has to stop it?

We learn so much about the nature of God in these few verse, Mom. That God has emotions. Emotions that run deeper and flow stronger than we can ever fully know in this mortal life. So seeing this happen invokes a sadness that we cannot comprehend. And even though He has to watch His children make terrible decisions, he is bound to let us use our agency and make the choices that we are going to make. He can place things in our path that would hopefully lead us back, but with that Satan will always be there to provide an opposing choice. And I know there is only one point in our mortal life where we can even catch a glimpse of how our Heavenly Father feels in these verse, and that is when we have children of our own. Now you being my mother, means you have reached this point. You know a range of emotions I am currently unable to experience fully. Once you have children, you take yourself one step closer to our eternal destination to become like our Father in Heaven. You create life. You teach them the best of your ability, remembering you are only human, setting them on their path. Then you must send them out giving them the full range of their agency. Just as our Heavenly Parents did when they sent us to mortality. I cannot imagine the full struggles that are faced when being a parent. 

As I studied more, I connected to a couple verses I had read earlier in Moses 6 to these latter verses. In verse 55 & 56 we get this:

55 And the Lord spake unto Adam, saying: Inasmuch as thy children are conceived in sin, even so when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts, and they taste the bitter, that they may know to prize the good.

56 And it is given unto them to know good from evil; wherefore they are agents unto themselves...

As mortals, we are born into a world full of sin and evil. Unfortunately as we grow older and reach the age of accountability, and being the mortals we are, we are susceptible to sin and temptation. This however is necessary, we must taste the bitter so that we can cherish the good.

If you’re lucky (like Brittany, Jared, and I have been), you are blessed with earthly parents who provide a strong foundation. Parents who teach them the ways of the gospel and the differences between good and evil. However, they are still agents unto themselves. They still are going to make the choices they are going to make. As a parent there are many things you cannot choose. The gender of your child, you cannot hand pick their innate interest, you cannot choose what color hair or eyes they are going to have, or what they are going to naturally excel in. But most importantly, you cannot choose their temptations, trials, and tribulations. And you cannot choose how they react to those.

Elder Robert D. Hales says,

“We cannot pray away another’s agency. Remember the father of the prodigal son, who patiently waited for his son to ‘[come] to himself,’ all the while watching for him. And ‘when he was yet a great way off,’ he ran to him [Luke 15:17, 20]. We can pray for guidance about when to speak, what to say, and yes, on some occasions, when to be still. Remember, our children and family members already chose to follow the Savior in their premortal realm. Sometimes it is only by their own life’s experiences that those sacred feelings are awakened again. Ultimately, the choice to love and follow the Lord has to be their own.” 

Never forget that there is still a plan set for all of us. Heavenly Father places every thorn in our life for a deep and profound purpose. Right now the future may seem unclear; shrouded by fear, uncertainty, and sorrow. Remember that our Father gives us challenges that he knows we can be triumphant over, just maybe not always triumph in the way we want. And know that he understands, he really does. In these situations, you can take comfort in knowing that not only does Christ our Savior know exactly what you are feeling, but also a Heavenly Father. A being who is all powerful, who is perfect, and loving, but even He cannot control the outcome of His children's eternal destiny. But He is a steady support, a guide, and hopeful as he watches us sail through this life’s sorrows. Setting small lights along the often dark path, in hopes that we will see and follow, rather than turning again down a dark trail. 

Be patient, Mother. “Come what may and love it”, being always and ever faithful in Christ and your Father who love you deeply. Knowing that you have children that love you as well, that are trying, in the ways they think are best right now, trying to figure this mortal experience out just as you are. 

Always know you are an amazing mother, and daughter of an exalted pair of Heavenly parents. We know you are doing hard work and appreciate it, as do our Heavenly parents. You are trying and caring. That is what matters. People are going to make their choices despite anything else. Never blame yourself. 

With much love,

Your Daughter.

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Heavenly Mother

It has always seemed strange to me that other Christian sects will note that we are children of God, but fail to acknowledge the existence of a heavenly mother. From what we know in order to be a child there must be a mother and father figure that created them. I believe this is stated well in the hymn “O My Father” by Eliza R. Snow, saying  “In the heav’ns are parents single? / No, the thought makes reason stare; / Truth is reason—truth eternal / Tells me I’ve a mother there.”

I’ve always loved thinking about how I have a Heavenly Mother who loves and watches over me as well as a Heavenly Father. While we know it is an absolute truth that we have one, we are not certain about her role is our earthly existence. However, I feel like it is safe to say that she is not uninvolved in our lives. In Christ & The Everlasting Gospel this week, Brother Griffin gave us some interesting insight on this matter. In the account of the worlds creation, Christ organized the world and the animals on it, but when it came to the creation of mankind, God descended to take over. When looking at Genesis 1:27, which states “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them”, the original Hebrew translation we see that the word for God is actually the plural version. Which would change the verse to roughly to, “So the Gods created man in their own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created they them”. Brother Griffin suggested that, although not an absolute doctrinal truth, he believes that by this original translation, this denotes that our Mother in Heaven had a hand in not only our spiritual creation, but also the physical creation of our first parents. 

This makes so much sense to me. It has always made me wonder when in scripture it writes that we are made in God’s image. While men and women are obviously of the same lineage, it is also that women are not the exact image of our Heavenly Father. Men and women are similar enough to where they are compatible, but different enough to complete each others differences. It is not mystery that men and women are physically, mentally, and even spiritually different. So it has never made complete sense to me that women were created in Heavenly Fathers image.  

It is amazing how not only a spiritual study of the scriptures and the gospel, but also a scholarly study of them can truly increase our understanding of them, as well as ourselves and our potential. I know I have a Heavenly Father and Mother who watch over me on a daily basis, who guide me through the spirit, who want the absolute best for me, and who love me more than I can ever know.

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Opposite & Equal Reactions in Spirituality

This week in class we looked at Moses chapter 1.

Brother Griffin brought up an interesting idea talked about by one of the General Authorities, opposite and equal reactions within spirituality, temptations, and trials. I was somewhat familiar with the idea when it comes to things like missions and temple marriage. I have often been told that the adversary hits those who are about to serve missions or get married in the temple hard just right before they go because of the super spiritual and righteous decisions they are making. To go a long with this, the higher the spiritual experience a person is going or already did have, the stronger the temptation and influence of the adversary. 

We see this is Moses 1:12-22. Prior to these verses Heavenly Father visits with Moses and proclaims to him His glory, and that because of His glory Moses was also an incredibly important being. He was transfigured so he might be in the presence of God. Being in God’s presence is obviously the most spiritually changing experience a person can have in this mortal life. Because of this Satan was allowed to tempt Moses to an extremely powerful level. In 12-22 we get that account. Satan commands Moses to worship him, screams at him and attempts to intimidate Moses. Moses commands Satan to leave twice unsuccessfully. Only when he commands Satan in the name of Jesus Christ to depart does Satan have to leave. After this encounter, God proceeds to show Moses everything. Literally everything. From the creation of this earth and every person and creature on it, to the creation of every other other earth and the inhabitants of them. This strong spiritual confrontation with Satan served two purposes that we can learn from. To reinforce the spiritually moving experience Moses had prior to the temptation, to show he truly had learned from the spirit and his testimony had grown. And then to prove his faith and obedience to be blessed with the knowledge he was going to receive post temptation. 

This is true in our own lives. It may seem frustrating to people that you have had this great experience in your life and you get his with terrible trials and temptations, but that is just a continuation of our blessings. If the Lord is sending trying and seemingly terrible experiences towards you, you can have faith that he just has something oppositely but equally great coming for you if you can endure. Another interesting point, going back to the encounter between Satan and Moses, is that Satan would not depart without Moses receiving assistants from the power of Christ. We cannot succeed in mortal trials without the companionship and constant support of Christ. When Heavenly Father sends us these trials and we feel like we have too much going on and cannot fit Christ in at this time right now, so we just need to grit our teeth and get through it and then we will get back to Christ. Or perhaps we feel like God has turned his back on us for letting bad things happen to us, so we turn our back on him. When in fact he is testing us so that he can bless us more heavily. Blessings are not freely given, we are not entitled to them. He can only bless us when we prove our faith and worthiness to receive those blessings. It is no different than anything else in life, without hard work (and Christ) we cannot reach our fullest potential and best selves and life.